Basking Shark
The Basking Shark is a large cartilaginous fish, known for its huge and daunting mouth, found only in . In-Game Description "This is the second largest fish in the world. It lives almost entirely on a diet of plankton taken in through its very large mouth. Although it is no danger to man, it has become an endangered species due to indiscriminate hunting." Remains "Every now and again there are news reports of the remains of unidentified creatures washing up on shore or being caught in fishing nets. One such incident involved the rotting remains of a completely unknown animal, which was thought to be some kind of plesiosaur. Subsequent inspection established that it was most probably the remains of a basking shark. However, possibility that it is an Unidentified Marine Animal has not been ruled out." Location The sole specimen in the game can be found around the South Canyon in Ciceros Strait, swimming in a slow pattern at night. A short cutscene will play the first time the player encounters it, showing it swimming around the Wreck of the Blood Lotus, before it can be interacted with. Behavior The basking shark swims a slow patrol through South Canyon and near the Wreck of the Blood Lotus. Its mouth opens and closes on occasion, but it doesn't display many distinctive behaviors outside of that. The player can learn its trivia information by feeding it. Notes * The basking shark is one of Jean-Eric's favorite creatures. Real-Life Information *True to its in-game description, the basking shark is indeed the second-largest fish in the world. Only whale sharks are larger. *The basking shark and whale shark, along with the megamouth shark, are the only three known plankton-eating shark species. This means that all three of them filter water through their mouths to scoop plankton out of the water rather than actively pursuing prey or scavenging like other sharks. *The basking shark is listed on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's list of animal species as "endangered", which means that there is a very real risk of the basking shark going extinct. Its numbers have decreased over the years due to it being sought after for commercial reasons - it is a source of shark fin, shark liver oil, and food for humans and animals alike. *The basking shark is the only extant member of its taxonomical family, Cetorhinidae. *The largest measured basking shark was roughly 40.3 feet long (12.27 meters) and weighed an approximate 16 tons. It was caught in the year 1851 off of the coast of Canada. Gallery Basking Shark 2.png Basking Shark 3.png Basking Shark 4.png Basking Shark 5.png Basking Shark 6.png Basking shark 2.jpg basking shark1.jpg basking shark 3.jpg basking shark 4.jpg 4923976782 42b93a62ec m.jpg DSC04778.JPG Category:Creatures Category:Large Marine Life Category:Sharks Category:Blue World-only Creatures Category:Jean-Eric's Favorite Creatures Category:Vulnerable Species Category:Cutscene Creatures Category:Creatures That Offer Rides Category:Ciceros Strait Category:Ciceros Strait Creatures Category:Night-only creatures Category:Creatures in Blue World Category:Endless Ocean: Blue World Category:Fish Category:Adult-only Creatures Category:Chondrichthyes